Life on the Sea
by KakaIru-IsMyWorld
Summary: General shenanigans with the Mugiwara Pirates. They'll be around 300 words long, and fairly pointless. These drabbles aren't really connected in any way, and just for fun.
1. Just Another Day…

**Author:** KakaIruIsMyWorld

**Rating:** PG.

**Word Count:** 300

**Disclaimer:** These characters aren't mine. They belong to Eiichiro Oda © (Disclaimer for future chapters as well)

**Warnings:** Interaction between the Strawhats and other in the world of One Piece. (Same warning for all upcoming chapters.) There'll probably be no pairings in here, just general goofing-off and shenanigans :)

**A/N:** For the onepieceyaoi100 drabble community, prompt: canon. Luffy being himself, and poor Chopper suffering for it ;)

--

Just Another Day…

--

Peals of laughter echoed across the deck as the younger members of the crew roughhoused under the late afternoon sun. It'd been a scorching day, and as evening drew near a breeze had begun to blow across the sea. Chopper'd had it worst with his fur, and as a result was down in the bunkroom for most of the day. But now, as the sun was going down and dinner was being prepared, Luffy'd snagged Chopper and was currently tossing the young reindeer up, up, up, as high as he could, while wrapped around the top of the crow's nest.

Up, high into the sky, and back down, to swing on elongated rubber arms across the deck for momentum, and right back up again. Over and over, as Chopper squealed in delight, Usopp kept a running commentary, ranking the throws by height and by how controlled the catch was.

"And, a marvelous catch by Luffy, as he sends Chopper flying once again…" his voice boomed out from the loudspeaker that Franky had installed in the crow's nest.

Mid-swing, Sanji poked his head out from the galley and rung the bell hanging right outside the door. "Time to eat, you shitty-bastards." He announced, and trounced back to where the girls were laying in their sun chairs, offering them cooling drinks before the meal.

Luffy launched Chopper straight over the figurehead and rocketed down the mast to the grass deck, with a booming cry of "MEEEEEAAAAATTTTT!" and proceeded to plow down Franky on his way to the galley.

Usopp's distressed cry of, "CHOPPER OVERBOARD!" was barely heard over the shrieks of the little reindeer himself.

Zoro, jolted out of his pre-dinner nap, quickly launched himself into the ocean to rescue Chopper, while Usopp declared, "Ladies and gentleman, we have a new record…"


	2. Shopping with Luffy

**Author:** KakaIruIsMyWorld

**Rating:** PG.

**Word Count:** 375

**A/N:** Prompt from onepieceyaoi100. Lemon. I decided on a shopping trip :D

--

Shopping with Luffy

--

They had docked at a lively portside town to restock their supplies, and the entire crew (minus Franky, who was keeping watch) decided to go shopping. Chopper was darting in and out of bookstores, looking for medical supplies, with Robin following close behind. They had set off in pairs, so that no one (cough-Zoro-cough) would get lost, as per Nami's instructions. The groups ended up being Robin and Chopper, Nami with Luffy and Usopp (she didn't trust them on their own) and Zoro with Sanji.

Luffy and Usopp ran off immediately, making a beeline for the district with the shops full of gadgets and gizmos, Nami trailing after them, shouting "Luffy, pull your arms back! Stop knocking people over!" and "Usopp, get back here! We need to stay _together!_" left and right. Sanji followed right on her heels, mostly to stay with his 'Nami-_swan_' and also because the market was in the same direction. Zoro stomped after them grumpily, having been woken up from his afternoon nap to go with.

Suddenly, Luffy came shooting back up the thoroughfare, only recognizable by his rubbery limbs and a highly amused Usopp trailing along behind him.

He skidded to a stop in front of Sanji, and it looked like he was trying to speak, but all that came out was, "Mmfphm, mmm mffh mmm mmffffhm!"

Rolling his eyes skyward at his captain's antics, and ignoring Usopp holding his sides and laughing hysterically, he took a good look at Luffy and pulled back slightly in surprise.

Luffy's face was all squinched shut, like he'd eaten something sour, and when he was able to rearrange himself back to normal, Sanji could see that he _had_ eaten something, and it caused his face to pucker and twist, the rubbery quality only distorting it more.

"What was that?" he asked, when Luffy could talk again.

"LEMONS!! We _have_ to get some of their lemons, Sanji! They're the best!" he shot the cook his classic ear-to-ear grin, and held up a small basket full of the brightest lemons Sanji'd ever seen. Luffy looked imploringly at Nami, who just sighed, and added it onto their list, while Luffy happily bounced back down the road, dragging Usopp and chattering loudly once again.


	3. TradeOff

**Author:** KakaIruIsMyWorld

**Rating:** PG

**Word Count:** 355

**A/N:** [Implied ZoSan] Nami has something to hold over Zoro. Zoro is not happy. Prompt for onepieceyaoi100: compromise.

--

Trade-Off

--

Nami walked over to where Zoro was sleeping, humming to herself along the way. She had been eyeing an _adorable_ new outfit in one of her magazines, and her charts showed that they were coming up to a chain of islands famous for their shopping districts. Sadly, she was short a few hundred beli, but had an idea of where to get the extra cash.

She reached the snoring swordsman and kicked him none-too-gently in the side.

"Wake up, Zoro."

Zoro just snored louder and slumped over onto his side. Glaring, she kicked him again, but he just rocked sideways and fell over onto his stomach.

The snoring continued.

Frowning at the man, she suddenly got an idea. Smiling evilly, Nami walked back a few yards, and got a running start. Once she reached Zoro, she stomped hard into the small of his back with the three-inch-heel of her new sandals, jumping off and landing neatly on his other side, enjoying the pained groan coming from her now awake nakama.

"Zo~ro, you still owe me 4000 beli." She sing-songed, crouching down so she was eye-level with the disgruntled man, who was now sitting up and blinking, nursing the ache in his back with one hand. Her expression hardened. "Pay up."

Grumpily, Zoro glared at her. "Why should I? I've already paid you everything; what's left is just your ridiculous interest."

Nami smiled. It wasn't pretty. "I have something that you might be interested in. Oh, say, a picture of you and a certain someone."

Silence.

"Together."

Raised eyebrow.

"Naked."

Zoro's eyes widened slightly as Nami pulled out the picture in question, and he made a panicked grab for it.

"Ah-ah-ah." Nami tsked, hiding it down her blouse. "You give me my beli, and I won't tell Sanji-kun that I know about the two of you. Deal?"

Zoro swore and grabbed the wad of bills from his haramaki. Nami snatched them up and smiled, patting him on the head as she stood up.

"See? That wasn't so hard, was it?" She smirked and walked away, ignoring the muttered 'devil-woman' as she went.


	4. Men

**Author: **KakaIruIsMyWorld

**Rating:** T (I know… .) Implied sex :D

**Word Count:** 256

**A/N:** [Implied ZoSan] A contest between Zoro and Sanji pisses Nami off. Prompt for onepieceyaoi100: man.

--

Men

--

Nami had had enough. They'd been going at it for hours now, and if they didn't stop sometime soon, she was going to need to do something they'd regret later. Throwing down her newspaper, she got up from her chair and strode across the deck, pushing her sunglasses up onto the top of her head as she went. She reached the door to the galley and yanked it open.

"Knock it off, you two!" The door swung sharply around to slam off of the wall.

Sanji immediately sat up straight, and flowed into service-Nami-mode. "Nami-swan~, you're so beautiful when you'r – "

Zoro growled, and used the momentary distraction to slam the blonde's shoulders back down onto the paneling, pinning him there with his torso.

"Guh – you _brute._ Get _off of me!_"

"Make me, love-cook."

Snarling and shuffling, they wrestled around on the floor. To Nami's well-trained eye, it looked more like the groping it was pretending not to be.

"No one _cares_ which of you is bigger, so shut the _hell up_ and just _screw already!_"

Nami stormed out, leaving her two slightly stunned nakama to look after her.

"Ugh. _Men._" She said with feeling, sitting back down under her umbrella and sliding her shades back into place. Ruffling the pages of her newspaper, she picked up where she left off.

At last. Blessed silence.

Nami sighed in contentment… until she heard sounds of a different sort from the kitchen.

She twitched, and steadfastly ignored it, pulling the paper up in front of her face.


	5. Tradition

**Author: **KakaIruIsMyWorld

**Rating: **PG

**Word Count:** 300

**A/N:** Chopper celebrating another first on their ship - Christmas. Prompt from onepieceyaoi100: holiday.

--

Tradition

--

Chopper bounced excitedly around on his hooves, jumping from place to place as he decorated the boys' cabin. He lit the multi-colored candles (Usopp's design; even the flames were different colors) around the room, which created a mosaic of red, blue and gold. He hung up the wreathes on the mast, tossed the confetti all over the floor, and straightened out the mat for the tree. They were getting a real tree! Chopper was so thrilled he could barely sit still, giggling to himself as he straightened the tree-stand (another Usopp-sama invention.)

"Eh, quit your moanin', marimo. It ain't that heavy." Sanji's gruff voice was unsympathetic as he descended, carefully supporting the stump of an evergreen in one palm, using the other to navigate.

"Says you." Zoro griped, "You're barely holding on!"

Together, the levered it down the hatch, maneuvering it around the mast to the floor. With a series of grumbling and cursing, the two Strawhats managed, scattering needles everywhere as they jockeyed the tree into position over the stand. Usopp then bounced down the ladder and over to his contraption, screwing the tree in and locking it, making sure it could stand on it's own. A few seconds of tinkering and he was happy with it, nodding in satisfaction. Zoro and Sanji took that as assent and let go, kind of surprised that it didn't fall over.

Zoro immediately wiped his sappy hands on his pants, grimacing at how they stuck to his fingers. Sanji just shrugged and muttered something about butter before heading back up.

Chopper immediately pounced on the tree, tugging the box of homemade ornaments over and delicately began decorating. Usopp watched with a gentle smile on his face, listening to the little reindeer's joyful commentary as he decorated for their first Christmas together.


	6. Vacation Time

**Author: **KakaIruIsMyWorld

**Rating: **PG

**Word Count: **299

**A/N: **[ZoSan, gen] Poor Sanji. Sometimes it really _is_ too good to be true. Prompt for onepieceyaoi100: holiday.

--

Vacation Time

--

Sanji woke slowly, warm and comfortable despite the fact that they were traveling through a winter span of the Grand Line. He was stretched alongside Zoro, tucked in with a wool blanket and had one arm slung around the other man's waist, the other up over his head on the pillow.

Partially sitting up, he felt his hand rise and fall with his lover's deep, even breathing, and cocked his ear to listen.

Blessed silence.

"Thank God." The cook had thought that the youngest members would be up early frolicking, after being knocked out so early at last night's party. They had passed an island that celebrated life every day, and therefore feasted and partied like mad every night. They had a truly strong brew that could knock out a bull elephant with one or two mugs. Everyone drank some, Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper conking out after their first.

Sighing in satisfaction, he laid back down in their cocoon of blankets, snuggling closer as he felt Zoro begin to wake.

"Good morning, shithead." He smirked, though the swordsman couldn't see it, and ran one hand along the scar. Sanji raised himself up on one elbow and draped himself across Zoro, landing heavily.

Zoro just grunted, settling further into the pillow. ""Mornin'."

Suddenly, breaking the silence was a loud yell, followed by high-pitched giggling and the crash and bang of pots and pans thundering around and slamming off of wood.

Sanji groaned, letting his head fall down on Zoro's chest as it shook with the swordsman's deep laughter. He propped himself on his chin and glared at his lover, who only laughed harder, wiping away tears from the corners of his eyes.

"I need a holiday." The aggrieved cook sighed, knowing the silence had been too good to be true.


	7. Comparatively

**Author: **KakaIruIsMyWorld

**Rating: **PG

**Word Count: **299

**A/N:** Prompt from onepiece_300: fear. A little bit of Usopp-introspection, with some Luffy thrown in.

--

Comparatively

--

Usopp knew it was stupid, but fears were often irrational.

Every now and then he'd think about their crew, and how much they'd grown. He would ponder all of the changes they'd gone through, all of their achievements and successes in battle. He'd think about Luffy's new attacks, about Zoro's new power, and Sanji's special style. About how Nami was growing better and better with the ClimaTact, and Chopper was becoming more proficient in developing better Rumble Balls.

So, where did that leave him?

He was on his own one night, up in the crow's nest on watch as he mulled everything over yet again.

Heaving a heavy sigh, Usopp propped his chin on one hand against the rail, when out of nowhere a hand slammed down on the rail beside him.

Usopp yelped and jumped back, watching as the rest of their irrepressible rubber captain came rocketing up to eye-level. He stepped back to make some room, as the other teen practically vibrated with suppressed joy.

"USOPP!" Luffy cried, almost screaming even though Usopp was barely two feet away. "C'mon, c'mon! You gotta come see this! It's awesome!" Luffy grabbed Usopp's arm and began tugging on him, pulling him to the ladder back down to the deck. "C'mon, Sanji and Zoro were fighting again, and Nami is pissed! She said something about mikan and butts, though I'm not sure what that means…"

Luffy paused to think, before brushing it off with a flippant wave of his hand. "Anyway, I've never _seen_ her this mad before. It's gonna be great!" And with a megawatt grin for Usopp, he began tugging again.

Usopp smiled, partially stumbling to keep up.

He may not be strong, like Luffy, but they were still friends. No, they were more than that.

They were nakama.


	8. Alleviating Boredom

**Author: **KakaIruIsMyWorld

**Rating: **PG

**Word Count: **300

**A/N:** Prompt from onepieceyaoi100: innocence. The three youngest crew members figure out how to keep busy during down time.

--

Alleviating Boredom

--

Usopp stuck his tongue out of his mouth in concentration, adjusting his hold on the paintbrush as he added some finishing touches. Smirking in satisfaction, he sat back to admire his work.

"So Luffy, what do you think?" He gestured to his work of art with a grand flourish, his smirk taking on a smug edge.

Luffy bounded over from the other side of the deck, carrying Chopper on his head.

"Oooh, Usopp! That's _awesome!_" His smile almost split his face as he beamed. Chopper nodded enthusiastically, humming his agreement. Usopp basked in their praise.

"Wait, wait. It needs more color!" With that Luffy ran to Usopp's workshop, returning with several small tubes of paint and some extra brushes. Together, the three of them set to work.

Several minutes later, three satisfied faces admired their handiwork.

Zoro grumbled, slowly waking from his nap. He blinked a few times and yawned, rubbing a hand across his eyes. His face felt sticky and tight, but when he glanced at his hand there was nothing there. Puzzled, he stood up and strode across the deck.

He passed a porthole, catching a glimpse of his reflection. Zoro stopped dead, leaning in for a closer look. His face was a collage of different designs, each one a various color of the rainbow. Spinning around angrily, he spotted the culprits.

Usopp, Chopper, and Luffy stood side-by-side, identical looks of innocence on their faces.

"That's it! Get over here, you morons!" Zoro snarled and pounced, and they scattered like the wind, howling with laughter as they desperately looked for good hiding places.

Zoro tackled Luffy, and they tumbled across the grass, bowling into Usopp along the way. They quickly became a jumble of limbs, hopelessly entangled like a giant rubber-band ball.

Business as usual for the Strawhats.


	9. Childhood Antics

**Author:** KakaIruIsMyWorld

**Rating:** PG

**Word Count:** 299

**A/N:** Prompt from onepiece_300: siblings. Ace and Luffy keep busy in Fuscia.

--

Childhood Antics

--

"Hah! I'm still taller than you, squirt!" Eight-year-old Ace stuck his tongue out at his brother, emphasizing his point.

"No fair, you were standing on your tiptoes!" Luffy cried, retaliating with a light shove. Ace bumped back into the post outside Makino's bar they'd been using to measure their heights. It had several scratches along it, marking their progress throughout the years.

"I'm telling Shanks that you cheated!" With that, the five-year-old took off.

"Oi, not so fast, Luffy! You cheated too, and I'm telling him first!" Ace tore off after his brother, quickly catching up. He grabbed Luffy by the shoulders, throwing him back as he took the lead. Luffy got back up and abandoned that track, instead choosing to yell to get his point across.

"SHANKS!!!" He hollered at the top of his lungs. "ACE CHEATED!!! ACE IS A CHEATER, CHEATER, CHEATER CHEA – mmph!" Ace slammed a hand down over his brother's mouth, before yanking it away in disgust when Luffy licked it with a long, wet swipe of his tongue.

Shanks and Makino walked out of the bar, aiming two confused looks at the boys.

"What's this now? Ace cheated at what?" Shanks squatted in front of Luffy, and Ace was now shaking his head madly back and forth.

"He says he's taller than me, but he stands on his tiptoes!" The younger boy wailed, sniffing tearfully.

"Yeah, well Luffy was standing on a rock _and_ on his tiptoes. That means he's a bigger cheater than me." Ace butted in, nodding firmly and turning his back on his brother. "Isn't that right, Makino?"

The two adults looked at the two identical innocent faces before them before Shanks sighed, wiping his arm across his face.

Makino laughed. "Quite the pair, these two."

Shanks had to agree.


	10. Contortionist

**Author:** KakaIruIsMyWorld

**Rating:** PG

**Word Count:** 290

**A/N:** Prompt from onepiece_300: shade/shadows. Zoro sometimes wonders why he bothered.

--

Contortionist

--

Zoro was taking a nap on the lawn, and slowly stirred awake. Keeping his eyes closed, he stayed where he was and relaxed in the sun. A slim shadow fell across his eyelids, but he ignored it. It was there and gone again, so he thought nothing of it.

When it returned, he squeezed his eyes shut tighter, determined to ignore it and go back to sleep. This time however, it stayed, flickering in and out, seemingly changing shape and never staying still for long. Frustrated, he cracked open one eye, peering out along the deck.

All Zoro could see was a shapeless blob, haloed by the sun as it shifted and twisted, never remaining in one form for long.

"What the – " he started fully awake, sitting up and shielding his eyes with one hand. Excited giggling reached his ears, and the blob took shape.

"Look, Zoro! Look what I can do!" The excited face of his captain looked up at him from… the grass? Confused, the swordsman did a quick double-take.

Luffy was currently twisted into a complex shape that resembled a table, his arms and legs held rigid at strange angles, attempting to be parallel to the mast but not quite succeeding. His chest was as flattened as it would probably ever be (still not quite), and his head was a few inches off of the ground. He seemed to forget to hold it up as part of the shape.

Chopper and Usopp were laughing like lunatics, rolling around the lawn. Chopper's tiny voice cried, "Another, another!" and Luffy happily contorted himself again.

Zoro groaned and flopped onto his back, throwing a hand over his eyes. Sometimes, he forgot why he was even on this ship.


	11. Contemplation

**Author: **KakaIruIsMyWorld

**Rating: **PG

**Word Count: **300

**A/N: ** Gen. Prompt from onepiece_300: the ocean. Luffy knows where he belongs.

--

Contemplation

--

Luffy sighed as he looked over the sea, far below the crow's nest. A breeze brushed by, ruffling his shirt and lightly caressing his face. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath, relishing the scent and taste of the ocean.

He'd always loved the water. Even when he was a child, and after becoming a rubberman. Makino and Shanks were forever pulling him away from the waves, tucking him protectively in their arms so the sea couldn't claim him.

Opening his eyes Luffy glanced down at the deck, watching his nakama move about. Zoro was snoring against the mast, swords resting peacefully by his side. Nami and Robin were sunning on the deck, occasionally allowing Sanji to serve them refreshing drinks, the ice-cubes rattling in the glasses as they passed from hand to hand. Brook was relishing his new-found freedom under the sun, and leaning against the railing to bask in its welcome heat.

He knew Chopper was down in his rooms reorganizing his medical supplies (again – Usopp raided them for tools when the little reindeer wasn't looking). He couldn't see Franky or Usopp, but could faintly hear clanking and yelling coming from deeper in the ship, and could easily deduce that they were tinkering with something new; something that would no doubt be awesome when it was finished.

A huge grin spread slowly across his face, stretching from ear to ear. Despite the constant danger of sinking into the sea, unable to swim or save himself, or being separated from his nakama, Luffy was happy.

Below him, the distinct sound of shouting and disgruntled comebacks reached his ears, quickly followed by the clash of swords and the thumping of bodies hitting the deck. Judging by the smile on Luffy's face, there was no where else he'd rather be.


	12. The Art of GiftGiving

**Author: **KakaIruIsMyWorld

**Rating: **PG

**Word Count: **1207

**A/N: **This is a gift-fic for a friend on LiveJournal. Prompt: Usopp/Nami. So, there is implied Usopp/Nami, cameos from almost every other Strawhat member. Usopp attempts to find the perfect present for Nami.

--

The Art of Gift-Giving

--

Usopp sighed mournfully as he surveyed the early morning ocean. Dawn was just creeping up over the horizon and he let his eyes wander, gazing into the waves as they rose and fell, swaying the ship gently side-to-side. The first rays of sunlight turned the water's surface a pale blue tinged with gold and rose. Such beauty was one of the reasons he opted for an early watch rotation.

His chin in his hand, Usopp rested his weight heavily on the railing. He was at an impasse, and it tore at him. The long and short of it: Nami's birthday was coming up, and he had no idea what to get her.

After all, what does one get someone who has everything?

He'd debated about clothing. Should he get her a new top? Or a stylish, cute new outfit? After a short talk with Sanji, resident ladies' man, he'd decided against it.

_Sanji choked, smoke pouring out of his mouth in short, sharp coughs. "Not on the inhale, Usopp. Geez, give a guy some warning, would ya?" Tears blossomed at the edge of his eyes, but Usopp decided not to read too much into them._

Sanji'd been utterly unhelpful, offering ideas about small trinkets and the like before trailing off and waxing poetic about Nami's many, wondrous attributes. With a heavy sigh and slumped shoulders, Usopp had left him to his own devices, sneaking away between cries of, "Mellorine! Mellorine!"

To his surprise, Franky had been the most helpful. Instead of any immature, callow suggestions or lewd innuendoes, the cyborg had shown astonishing insight.

"_Give her something from the heart, bro." He'd said, in between sketches of designs for a new addition to Sunny. "Yes, she loves money and clothes, but she'll enjoy something you've invented or designed yourself even more. Go for something you're good at: compose her a poem, write a story about her, create a new invention specifically for her." Franky looked up, giving Usopp a blinding smile. "I know she'll love anything you get her; go for it."_

Feeling slightly more assured, Usopp had racked his brain for most of the night before his watch. It was all well and good to suggest he build her something; it was another matter entirely to actually _do _it. What could he invent?

Ideas were examined, and almost as quickly discarded. The sun was now well above the horizon, the pastel colors fading into the bolder colors of true morning. Looking around the crow's nest for any sort of inspiration, Usopp's eyes fell upon his sketchbook and drawing tools. He moved to them quickly as an idea took hold.

Balancing his book on his thighs, he flipped to an empty page and began to sketch. He started at the top, his fingers flying smoothly across the parchment. The charcoal left bold, broad strokes as the image began to take form.

He worked in near-silence, adding details where they were needed and smudging parts for a better blend. The sun rose ever higher, and he could soon hear the sounds of Sanji preparing breakfast in the galley. Those everyday noises comforted him, and created a nice harmony to his morning.

Zoro ascended the crow's nest, nodding a 'good morning' to Usopp. He grunted back, too absorbed in his work to give the swordsman his full attention. Zoro merely shrugged and began his weightlifting routine as his watch commenced.

Usopp reached for his bag, rummaging around and pulling out his paint supplies. He unlatched a case of brushes, all aligned neatly inside in their own protective sleeves. Picking out an appropriate brush, he set about arranging his paints. Dipping the brush in a color, he brought it to the page.

As time passed, his work progressed. Usopp's fingers were nearly black at the tips, with smudges and dots of orange, red, blue, and brown. He had a few smears of charcoal on his face from rubbing it absently in thought, and his tongue more often than not poked out of the corner of his mouth in concentration.

He didn't notice the time passing. Luffy had launched himself up to his lookout when he failed to appear for breakfast, and Usopp promised him he'd be down shortly. The rubber-boy left. Sanji showed up once breakfast was over, plate balanced expertly in the crook of his arm. Usopp nodded his thanks, and the cook left. He returned to his work.

Later, Robin offered to carry his now-empty plate back to the galley, and Usopp thanked her absently. Chopper arrived for his watch shortly thereafter, along with several new medical texts to peruse. The sound of his note-taking reached Usopp's ears through the quiet crow's nest, a soothing counterpart to his own rustling and the smooth strokes of his brushes.

When Sanji struck the bell for lunch, he strode out onto the deck and hollered up to Usopp. "You coming down this time, long-nose?"

Usopp looked up in surprise to find himself alone once again, and set down his brush. He moved to the window and stuck his head out, calling back, "Hai! Be down in just a second!"

Turning back to his sketchbook, he picked up his paintbrush and added a couple more details. The brush slid evenly across the parchment, the quiet sound reverberating in the empty crow's nest.

Finished, Usopp put his tools aside and looked over his work. A small, satisfied smile crossed his face.

"Usopp!" Sanji's voice held a slight edge of impatience.

"On my way!" Usopp picked up his tools and his paints, gathering them all into his arms to bring them to be cleaned. He moved toward the trap-door before pausing, setting his things down and going back to his sketchbook. He collected it gently, walking to a small table near the window that was empty of clutter. Placing it carefully down, he cracked this window so that a breeze could blow gently in, making sure his painting would dry. Striding to the door once again, he scooped up his things and descended to join his nakama for lunch.

The early afternoon sunlight shone through the window, landing directly over the painting. If one were to look at the sketchbook, it would undoubtedly bring a smile to their face. It depicted a young woman, lounging on the deck of a ship. She was dressed in a pink T-shirt and denim-blue shorts, reclining partway in a lawn chair. Sunglasses were balancing atop her head, as though she'd pushed them up and then forgot they were there. Her orange hair fell almost to her shoulders, tucked gently behind her left ear. The sun was shining and the sky was a brilliant blue. The ocean was visible behind her, and the sun was partially blocked out by an umbrella.

The most vivid aspect of the picture, however, wasn't the scenery or the girl. It was the sheer _joy _that was palpable even through the paper. The girl was smiling, wild and carefree, laughing at something that was out of frame. Her entire face was lit up and it seemed for all the world that she was the happiest she could be.

Below, the sounds of the Strawhats talking and laughing drifted up on the wind.


	13. Sunshine

**Author: **KakaIruIsMyWorld

**Rating: **PG

**Word Count: **839

**A/N: **This is another gen piece. The Strawhats are enjoying life in the springtime.

--

Nami sighed contentedly as she stretched, closing her eyes against the sun. She lay on the chair, legs extended with one knee propped up and the other lying flat. Her sunglasses were a welcome weight on her head, and the warmth of the sun was wonderful all down her body. Next to her, Robin sat with her knees up, a book on archeology open against them. A sun hat adorned her head, obscuring the pages partially from the light.

Even with her eyes closed, Nami could tell where each of her nakama were. There was the noise nearby of pages turning, which reminded her of Robin. Excited chattering filtered down to her from the crow's nest, which must be one or more of the younger boys. Most likely Usopp and Chopper, the former extrapolating a huge, dramatic adventure story full of lies to the latter. She could picture Chopper's worshipful expression in her mind's eye, and it made her smile.

Much closer was the sound of tinkering, Franky working on some new attachment to Sunny. Beyond him, the sounds of a vibrant violin being played enthusiastically told her where Brooke was, enjoying the sunlight as well. High pitched laughter followed, and she could imagine Luffy clapping happily and dancing along.

The last two were probably the easiest to place. Sanji was in the galley, concocting something cool and refreshing for her and Robin to drink. Zoro was sleeping. Nami wasn't sure exactly where, but she did know he was --

"Oof! Luffy, you idiot, get off!"

Okay, so he's not sleeping anymore. A small smirk crossed Nami's face.

"C'mon, Zoro! Let's dance!"

"What part of 'no' do you not understand?"

"Zoroooo, you promised!" The whine in Luffy's voice was unmistakable.

"Wha -- ? What are you talking about? I never promised!"

"Yes you did!

"No!"

"Yes!"

"NO, Luffy. I don't -- gah! Let go, you moron!"

"Wheee! Hahaha, see, isn't this fun?" The sound of sandals slapping across the deck, swiftly followed by a strangled yelp.

"Lu -- Luffy! No, don't do that --"

"I'm gonna spin you!"

"What?! NO, Lu -- " A whirring sound, accompanied with Zoro's startled yelp of annoyance as he sailed through the air. A brief shadow crossed over the girls, but Nami paid it no mind. A splash resounded through the air, and Luffy hollered with glee.

"Woohoo! Did you see how far he went? This is fun! Hey, Usopp! Wanna dance?"

Nami's smirk only grew as she listened to Usopp's stuttered, "N-no thanks, Luffy. I'm good."

"Aw, come on Usopp! It's easy! I'm sure you'll be great!"

"O-of course I am! Usopp-sama is renowned for his dancing expertise in all the Blues! There is no dance that he cannot master!"

"Amazing!" Chopper's squeal of delight could probably have been heard across the ocean.

"Really?! That's awesome, Usopp! Now you _have_ to dance with me! Show me the best one!"

"Uh, maybe some other time, Luffy. Luffy? What -- no! Luffy, wait!"

In the muffled sounds that followed, Nami could only assume that Luffy had rocketed himself into the crow's nest to retrieve the poor sharpshooter. There were some shuffling sounds before they plummeted to the deck once more, Usopp already twirling through the air.

"Luuuuuuffffffffffffyyyyyyy!"

"Hahaha! I told you so, Uso --"

"LUFFY!" A soaking wet Zoro bellowed from the railing. "That's it, you're going over next -- ugh!"

Nami laughed aloud as Usopp collided with a very surprised Zoro, sending them both tumbling into the ocean. She opened her eyes, taking in the scene. Luffy stood in the middle of the deck on the lawn, laughing so hard tears streamed down his face and he held his stomach, his entire frame shaking with mirth. The railing managed to stay in one piece, albeit with a crack along the banister from where Zoro's legs probably smacked into it as they fell. Franky was standing out of the way, tinkering near the trees so he wouldn't get caught in the crossfire.

Hearing a giggle, Nami turned back to Robin, who was giving the impression of reading the book without turning any pages. When their eyes met, they shared a secret smile. Sanji rounded the corner, a tray of drinks in his hand and his panda apron still tied around his waist.

"Mellorine~! Drinks, Nami-swan? Robin-chan?" He smiled down at them, brandishing the refreshments.

"Thank you, Sanji-kun." Nami said, as they each took a drink.

Sanji beamed, then stood up and looked around the deck. He blinked. "What's gotten into Luffy?"

Nami's smile grew as she looked back at their captain. He was rolling on the grass, heedless of the danger as two thoroughly soaked nakama steamed across the deck, making a beeline for him. His ringing laugh echoed across the ship, his hat having fallen during his antics.

She looked around the ship, seeing all of her friends happy and at ease. Through it all, Brooke played a lively tune on his violin.

She turned and smiled at Sanji. "Nothing. Just enjoying the sunshine."


End file.
